Larsen, chief executive of the Danish Athletics Federation (DAF), will join the worldwide governing body in April.

He will chair the newly-formed Global Calendar Unit, established to lead, manage and coordinate all parts of the global athletics calendar from World to National Championships.

Larsen was chosen for the position from a list of 74 candidates from 20 countries.

The 50-year-old joins World Athletics having overseen a successful World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus last year.

The course for the event, held in March, was widely praised by athletes and officials following the Championships.

"This is a real honour for me," Larsen said. 

"I have worked across many facets of sport over the last 25 years - from research and analysis to delivering events at all levels, coaching and running a national sports federation. 

"Athletics is a sport I love and I am joining a world class team operating on a global stage in the most participated sport in the world. 

"It is a dream come true and I am looking forward to being part of the team that creates and delivers the changes that will see athletics grow from strength to strength."

Larsen has been chief executive of the DAF for the past 12 years and has overseen rapid revenue growth.

He has also helped oversee several significant road races and other events, including the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen in 2014, as well as last year's World Cross Country Championships.

"Jakob’s skills and experience across our sport are rare and valuable," World Athletics chief executive Jon Ridgeon said.

"He combines incredible knowledge of athletics, having run a Member Federation, hosted World Championships, one-day meetings, park and road events, with creativity and innovation which is critical to the journey we are on to grow athletics."